Welcome to the COEQUaL Research Center, a specialized center for research on health disparities in uterine leiomyoma (uterine fibroids).
This Center will bring together various high-quality projects across different fields, including basic science, clinical research, translation studies, behavioral science, and social science. The goal is to tackle health disparities, especially those affecting racial and ethnic groups, related to uterine fibroids.
Collaboration for Equity in Uterine Leiomyomas (COEQUaL) specialized center for uterine fibroids and health disparities
The COEQUaL specialized center is designated and funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institutes of Health Office of Research on Women’s Health. Its research goals are to improve outcomes for all people with uterine fibroids and to eliminate health disparities for Black and African American people with these conditions. COEQUaL uses a patient-centric behavioral and social science research approach within the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework.
COEQUaL Supports Three Research Projects
One project, which focuses on articulating and eliminating individual barriers to fibroid care, provides targeted awareness and education on fibroid symptoms and management options. The goal is to empower patients to collaboratively design values-congruent and culturally appropriate care plans.
Another project examines healthcare system factors that influence health disparities in uterine fibroid treatment. The project team aims to delineate external barriers to getting treatment for fibroids — including insurance barriers and healthcare professional limitations — and identify targeted solutions to these barriers.
A third project focuses on developing innovative tools for the early diagnosis of uterine fibroids, with the goal of overcoming factors that limit positive outcomes for all patients and heighten disparities for Black and African American patients. This project uses technology embedded within the electronic health record to improve risk prediction models and identify patients with fibroids sooner.
The COEQUaL specialized center also has two cores: an Administrative Core and a Community Partnership, Education and Outreach (CPEO) Core.
The Administrative Core provides research infrastructure. It also provides the framework for training the next generation of diverse fibroid leaders by funding a pilot project for an early-stage investigator every year.
The CPEO Core disseminates COEQUaL research findings and serves as the authoritative source of fibroid information on ethical, psychological, scientific, legislative and advocacy issues.
COEQUaL was launched in 2024 and has these collaborating institutions:
Faculty Members
Megan A. Allyse, Ph.D.
Mayo Clinic
Joyce E. (Joy) Balls-Berry, Ph.D.
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis
Suzette J. Bielinski, Ph.D., M.Ed.
Mayo Clinic
Lori A. Bilello Ph.D., M.B.A., M.H.S.
University of Florida College of Medicine — Jacksonville
Bijan J. Borah, Ph.D.
Mayo Clinic
Andrew M. Kaunitz, M.D., FACOG
University of Florida College of Medicine — Jacksonville
Shannon K. Laughlin-Tommaso, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
Gregory K. Lewis, M.B.B.S.
University of Florida College of Medicine — Jacksonville
Michelle McGowan, Ph.D.
Mayo Clinic
Sarah L. Rassier, M.D., M.P.H.
Mayo Clinic
Ebbie A. Stewart, M.D.
Mayo Clinic
Sateria Venable
The Fibroid Foundation
Kedra M. Wallace, Ph.D.
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Fern J. Webb, Ph.D.
University of Florida College of Medicine — Jacksonville
Find out more about the scientific work of the project, receive updates about the progress of the work or participate in the research study.